This knowledge in the Art of Living is like an ocean. All is available here and what you make out of it, how you use it, is entirely up to you.～Guruji
生活的藝術裡的知識就像海洋般。這裡面什麼都有，然而你要獲取什麼，你要怎麼樣去運用，這些都是在於你。~古儒吉

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It’s like asking jaggery, how can you taste so sweet? It’s the nature
of the jaggery to be sweet. I don’t put any effort to speak sweetly. If I
put in effort, it will turn to be salty. What I am, I speak the same.
That’s why you find it sweet. And secondly, you are also sweet so you
find me also sweet. If your mind is turbulent then even if I speak
sweetly, you will find it salty. I also don’t know how to be otherwise. I
am grateful that I never got an opportunity also to do something which
is not in my nature. There was never a need to speak a lie or cheat
someone. It has never happened that I pretend to be someone else which I
am not. It doesn’t seem also I would be doing it in future. But I don’t
give any guarantee. It hasn’t happened till now and God knows about
future.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Q:
Guruji, in many of the knowledge books, I have read that everything is
just One consciousness and we are part of that One. In that case, what
do you mean by surrender? What is it that we are surrendering and to
whom do we surrender when it is just One consciousness?+Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, correct. Actually there is nothing to surrender, but when the mind
feels, ‘I am separate, I am different, I am alone’, to let that go, you
surrender and just relax. It is like the mother at home feeling. To
generate the mother at home feeling, the process of letting go is called
surrender. That is all. There is nothing that you have that you need to
surrender. Got it? That is why there are three different paths (Karma
Yoga or the Path of Action, Bhakti Yoga or the Path of Devotion, Jnana
Yoga or the Path of Knowledge). The Path of Knowledge is when you wake
up and see, everything is made up of just One thing. There is no two,
and this is knowledge. But when you forget this and feel there is two
and when there is something that you are holding on to and it is too
much on your head and you can’t bear it, then you say, ‘I Let go’, that
is surrender. One very good example for this would be: You are sitting
on the train and you are holding the luggage on your shoulders. Though
the seat is comfortable you are putting the weight of the luggage on
your head and shoulders and feeling so uncomfortable. Then someone comes
and says, ‘Hey, come on! Keep the luggage down. The train is anyway
carrying you and the luggage. Relax.’ Giving you that sense of total
ease, is said to be Sharanagati (surrender).問：古儒吉，在很多知識書裡，我讀到所有的一切只是一個意識而我們都是一體的。這樣的話，您所謂的臣服是什麼？如果這一切只是一個意識那我們所臣服的是什麼而我們向誰臣服？

Q:
Guruji, What if one of our levels of existence has been affected by
shock or something, like memory, is it necessary to transcend and reach
the self or how does that impact?+Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Meditation! Just exactly what you are doing - yoga,
pranayama, meditation, it heals everything. See, we have given so much
shock to our body, used it and misused it that it needs this kind of
attention. Similarly, we have used and misused our breath, our mind and
our intellect that our whole system has been in Topsy turvy, in turmoil
and all this gets stored in the memory but remember they all can be
easily handled through the practice of meditation. Once you go to the
SELF, it heals the memory also. Once you are aware what you are worried
about, a shock or an experience, you find you are so much bigger than
any experience, and see, in the world how many millions of people are
there and how many experiences they all have. Do you see what I am
saying? See what happened in Pakistan, flood, how people were
traumatized. What happened in India in Leh Ladakh! Suddenly a cloud
burst and everything is gone, people’s homes are gone, and see how the
terrorists or the Taliban, and these other groups are terrorizing
people. If you have seen the Time magazine’s cover page, it was so
horrifying. In Afghanistan, women, their noses are being cut by Taliban.
With all these experiences in the world, people are still living alive.
What are we worried about, we are worried about our little unpleasant
experience. See, life has both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.
Everybody gets a little unpleasant experience, but when you open your
eyes, you see our unpleasant experience is nothing, it is minuscule when
compared to the other things. So your problem is almost nothing when
you look at the big problems in the world, yeah!

Q: Guruji, in life
those people who don’t get along well are hitched together while those
who get along really well are not paired together. Is this the plan of
the Divine? Is he doing this on purpose?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You mean about your marriage? You know, when you don’t get along, you
forget all those days when you got along very well. Because those days,
you didn’t get along, you feel, 'Oh, from the very beginning, we never
got along.'An American couple who were married for 40 years came to me
and said that they wanted to divorce. The lady said, 'You know Gurudev,
we have been married for 40 years but we never got along even for a
single day.' I said, 'How could you spend 40 years and never get along
for even one day?!' They are already around sixty to seventy years old.
They could not get along for the last forty years and still they were
carrying on. Usually this doesn’t happen in American society. If two
people don’t get along, that is it. They don’t stay together at all.
Suddenly in your mind you think, at some point, 'Oh, we never got along
in the past also.' Well, the world is like that. There is no guarantee
that those people with whom you think you will get along very, you will
actually get along with them very well. The grass is always greener on
the other side.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t
think you should all be without anger all the time. You should use
anger as a tool when it is necessary. I tried to do it but I was not too
successful. Often sometimes I try to show anger but it doesn’t work
because very soon I start laughing and everybody else will start
laughing along, also people don’t believe me getting angry. But
sometimes anger is good. You know, especially in a world when there is
corruption, when there is injustice and when there are all sorts of
people who do all sorts of wrong things, who take advantage of you in
all situations, it is necessary that you raise your eyebrows or sometime
show anger, it would be good. But see that you show anger and it
doesn’t affect you or get into your heart and make you upset. Look, that
doesn’t happen in a day and that is where all these practices can be of
help. Yeah, I’m not saying be like a vegetable all the time or like a
mentally retarded person, smiling or not getting upset at all, you
should get angry when things don’t go well, right! But don’t ever let
that anger ferment in your mind and turn into hatred. It could be
momentary. You know what is a healthy anger? When you draw a line on the
surface of water, how long does it stay for? Only that much time anger
should stay, then it is healthy anger. If your anger stays only for that
much time and when you have a control over it then it is healthy and
you are okay. You can get angry but anger should not get you. What
happens usually, anger comes and gets you, and then we are in trouble.
Knowledge and wisdom is the reverse of it. Got it! You can use the knife
but the knife doesn’t use you.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

农历新年要到了。译者一年一度回乡和家人团聚。在二月2日至18日这段期间不能和大家分享古儒吉的好文章。在此以今天分享的五頭眼鏡蛇的象徵这篇文章来祝福大家蛇年新年快乐。希望大家有像蛇般的警觉，敏锐和平静。也祝福大家有个美好吉祥的一年。如果要阅读之前的文章请按这里古儒吉知识的美，在于它可以让人百读不厌，而每一次的阅读都有新的体会，每一次的阅读都让我们的小我缩小一些，心智扩大一些。祝大家阅读愉快。The Chinese Lunar New Year is just around the corner. Koppi will be away from 2nd to 18th Feb to celebrate Chinese New Year with family. During this period of time I am not able to share Guruji's knowledge with everyone. Please do visit www.artofliving.org/what-sri-sri-said-today for the latest articles.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Symbolism of the Five-Headed Cobra

October 11, 2012

Bangalore, Ashram

If you look at the mythological pictures, you will find Mahavir
sitting with a five headed cobra behind him. Or Lord Vishnu is sitting
in meditation and there is a cobra behind him.
Even in the pictures of Rishis, you will find a cobra with its hood open at the back.
Have you seen such pictures?
It is a very subtle thing!

See, when you are sitting in meditation, what is happening? Your
consciousness is getting alert, opened and awakened, as though in your
back ground there is a thousand headed cobra. Cobra signifies alertness.
How many of you feel a lot of alertness in the back of your head during meditation? A sort of wakefulness!
So the cobra is a symbol of the energy that raises and opens up; energy which is alert and at the same time restfulness.
It is not that there was really a cobra at the back of their head, it
is a symbol of wakefulness in the deep state of rest, and that is
meditation – totally restful, wanting nothing, doing nothing, being nothing and being open, like the hood of a cobra; alert without any effort.There are two types of descriptions for this. In one they talk about a
Cobra, and in another they talk about a flower; it is like a
thousand-petaled lotus, blossoming on the top of the head; on the crown
chakra.
So some describe it as a flower, very delicate, and some describe it as a cobra which means alert. Both fit very well.Now if you don't feel like that, then that means you have stuffed
yourself with too much food. Then you won’t find any cobra, you will
only find a buffalo, because you have stuffed yourself so much and you
feel so dull.
That is why, world over people always talk about fasting and prayer;
fasting and meditation. At the same time you should not fast too much.
Sometimes people fast all day and then eat too much at night. That is no
good. Fasting has some rules that need to be followed.
Naturopath and Doctors will tell you how you should begin a fast and how you should slowly come out of it.Sometimes in Navratri we fast, and in the name of fasting, we feast.
People say, ‘We will not eat any grains, we will only have potato’, and we eat French fries and everything else.
‘We will not have rice, but we will only have idly.’
This is cheating I tell you. Real fasting does not include eating halwas (sweet dish) and puris (fried pancakes). It is a wrong type of fasting. You should not fast like that.Alpahara Mitahara - a little bit food and easily digestible food.
That also counts as fasting. Little bit fruits and water.
So when body is not so heavy and dull, then it blossoms and meditation happens better.At the same time too much fasting makes your Pitta go high and then
also you cannot meditate. That is why drink enough water so that the
Pita in your body does not go high.Q: Gurudev, even though there is no difference between Lord Vishu and Lord Shiva, who originated from whom? The Vishnu Purana glorifies Lord Vishnu and the Shiva Purana glorifies Lord Shiva.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you think, who originated from whom, you are thinking on linear terms. But truth is not linear, it is spherical.
That is why this is also true and that is also true. From which side you see, that is where it comes from.
If you see from that side then that is true. If you see it from this
side then this is true. But both are same actually. This is what
spherical thinking is.
It depends from where you start and where you go.
Shiva and Vishnu are different, yet both are the same.

Q: In the Ashtavakra Gita, it says, ‘You can go on reading
scriptures, but you will get liberation only when you forget the
scriptures.’
So then what is the purpose of reading the scriptures?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, you get into a bus, but then you also need to get out of the bus.
Now if you argue with me that, ‘If I have to get out of the bus then why should I get into the bus?’
You get into the bus from somewhere else and you get out from somewhere else.
If you have to get out of the bus, why should you get into the bus in the first place - this argument doesn’t hold.
So, the scriptures are to make you understand your nature, the nature of
the universe, the nature of this mind which is stuck in small things,
and to give it a bigger vision.
So knowledge is like the detergent. See, you put soap on your body but at some point you wash it off as well, isn’t it?!
Similarly, you have this desire, ’I want to be liberated’, and
that desire takes you away from all other small desires. But if you keep
holding on to that thought, then it will also become a problem at some
point. You have to wash that off as well and become free.
’I want liberation, I want liberation, I want liberation’, you won't get
liberation. But that desire is essential till you are free from all
other small desires. Then a point comes when you say, ‘If I have to get liberation let it be, otherwise let thy will be done.’
In that moment you are already free.Q: What is the signifiance of Mahalaya Amavasya? Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Actually this Amavasya is dedicated to the departed souls.
When you leave this body you are guided into another world by a set of Devas or Angels. Pururava, Vishvedeva - these are their names. They come and guide you from one level to another level. Mahalaya Amavasya is the day when you remember all the departed souls and thank them and wish peace for them.
There is an ancient tradition in which the family members take a
few sesame seeds and little bit of rice, and then they think of their
ancestors and say, ‘May you be contented, may you be contented, may you
be contented.’
They say this three times and then they drop the little grains of sesame seeds with some water. The significance of this ritual is to tell the departed that – If
you still have some desires in your mind, know that they are like sesame
seeds. They are not significant, just drop them. We will take care of
them for you. You be free, happy and contented! There is huge universe
in front of you. The universe is infinite, so look forward and go; drop
whatever is pulling you back.
This is called Tarpana. Tarpana means bringing satisfaction and fulfillment to the departed. It is done to tell them to be contented and move further. Water is the symbol of love. To give anyone water means giving love.
In Sanskrit, Ap means water and it also means love. And in Sanskrit someone who is very dear is called Apta.
So, in their memory, you give them water as a symbol of love and life and that is why this is called Mahalaya Amavasya.
On this day think of all your ancestors. In Vedic tradition, three generations on the mother's side and
father's side are remembered, and all others friends, relatives, and
anyone who has crossed over to the other side. Think of them and tell
them to be satisfied.
Usually in their memory, people also do some charity, by giving food to some people and to animals.This is there almost in all the cultures of world. I was surprised to see that this is there in Mexico as well.
In Mexico, on 2nd November, every year people celebrate this.
Similarly, they do this in China as well. In the Chinese tradition, they
have one day on which they remember their ancestors, and whatever was
dear to the ancestors, they make that and offer it to them.
They do this in Singapore as well. Although Singapore is a very clean
city, but one day in a year it becomes very dirty for a few hours
because they celebrate this on the streets.
Do you know what they do? They make huge cars and homes out of card
board and burn them on the streets so that it goes to their ancestors.
They also buy a lot of fake currency notes and burn them so that people on the other side get this offering and give blessings.

Almost all over the globe, from the ancient civilization, everyone practices this.
In Christianity also, there is a day called All Saints’ Day when the ancestors are remembered. On this day people go to the graveyard and pray for the departed.
This is also done just to remind oneself that life is temporary, and
so many years these other people lived here and have now gone. We have
come to this world and one day we will also go.
So you wish them peace and thank them. That is the main idea.In India the ritual is all in Sanskrit and so people don't understand
them. The pundits say something and then they ask you to do this and do
that, and you just do it with faith.
That is not bad but it is good to do it with a little understanding. Q: How does the Karma of our parents and ancestors affect us? Are we also punished because of their bad karmas?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen, if your ancestor has left you a house, is it not a boon for you now?
Why are you asking such obvious questions?!
They have earned a lot of money, toiled and built a home and they left
it to you. You are enjoying their karma, is it not?! And if they are
gone with a big debt in the bank, and if you have to pay that back then
that is your karma too. So naturally it affects you.
Not just parents but your company also affects you.
If you keep sitting with very depressed people, you also feel down and
depressed as well. If you are in the company of joyful and spiritual
people your karma improves. You have no escape from bad or good karma in the world. We have to
carry on with this, because there are times when we have to interact
with people who are sick. You cannot say I don't want to be near sick
people. If everybody says that then what will happen to all the
hospitals and the patients?
So in the world we need to be with everyone, and that is why being in knowledge and seva will help shield you. These are called Kawach. Chanting Om Namah Shivaya is like an armor around you, it is like a Kawach. It protects you from all the unwanted karma, and other not so good affects are shielded.
But you don't have to chant Om Namah Shivaya 24 hours a day. If you do that, your brain will become so dull. Just for a few minutes every day, like brushing your teeth.
You don’t brush your teeth every hour, do you? If anyone brushes their
teeth every hour you will not find any teeth at all later on. They will
all fall off. And if you do not brush at all, then also it is no good.
In the same way, just like dental hygiene, you need mental hygiene as
well. A few minutes of chanting, a few minutes of meditation, all these
will help.
We take shower only for few minutes, isn’t it?! By the way, everybody conserve water. There is a big water scarcity
around the world that has come up, and in Bangalore also. All the lakes
are dry and there is not much water this year.
So we will all conserve water. Use only as much water as you require.五頭眼鏡蛇的象徵2012年10月11日班克羅爾靜心所

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of The Art of Living Foundation, inspires thousands of people across the world. He plays many roles for many people – as a humanitarian ambassador, spiritual leader or a meditation teacher, as well as a peace advocate.

SiewWoan Lim is a native Borneo chinese. Born 1983, she was raised in a multi cultural and religion neighbourhood.In 2009 she came upon a testimony from a Art of Living devotee in the newspaper, and 3 years later she got the chance to complete her first Basic Part 1 Sudarshan Kriya course. From there on, her life is now devoted for the AOL movement.

After being mesmerized by his Holiness Guruji's wisdom, Koppi's thirst for knowledge made her search for huge amounts of reading material. However, search results from the internet are mostly English articles, in that moment, she thought "how nice it will be if all these beautiful wisdom and knowledge can be shared to Mandarin speakers as well".

Her dream came true after completing the DSN course, with love as the major motivator, she has since created this blog and started her life as a english to mandarin translator.

Her wish is for Guruji to spread and share more love and wisdom to the whole world, thru this simple blog.